~Jack

"Alright it's lunch, is everything set up?" I read the text Eanna sent me to myself, barely restraining a yawn since I had only slept for a couple hours. I was on the way to the cafeteria to check for myself if the principal would agree. Sure enough, there was a black stage with all of our equipment on top. Padraig was already there adjusting the amps and tuning his guitar, strumming a couple of chords. "Hey." Eanna panted, slightly out of breath from running down the hallway to catch up with me. He had his bass strapped across his back. "You ready?" I grinned, jumping up onstage while pulling my drumsticks out of my backpack, getting situated behind my drum set that I had brought here earlier before school. The base drum had a giant skull on it and the rest was black. The cafeteria was empty since lunch wouldn't start for a couple more minutes, giving us some time to warm up. Conan showed up a couple minutes after me, eyes a little red rimmed. I could tell he had been crying recently, but decided to not bring it up. When it was time to preform, my palms were sweaty and fingers clenched tightly around my drumsticks as I listened to Conan introduce ourselves to the crowd. "We are Raised to the Ground, and this is our last gig since our drummer is moving to America." He gestured over at me. I smiled sheepishly and waved. "So, we're gonna be playing the first song we ever preformed, Risen from the Ashes." I clicked my drumsticks together, counting off from three before the song began. Padraig began his guitar solo, nodding to the beat while I kept time. When Conan began singing, everything erupted into chaos. Students started booing, yelling at us to get off of the stage while teachers fought to no avail to quiet them. I didn't stop what I was doing, instead growing louder in hopes to drown them out. Conan was doing the same, ignoring the hateful words from the crowd. Suddenly I felt something warm, wet and slimy slap me in the face, trailing down my neck. The music abruptly stopped as all eyes turned towards me. Trying to look unfazed, I wiped off the gooey substance, looking at my hand to see what it was. Steamed tomato. I flicked it off of my hand the best I could, ready to continue before more food began pelting us from all sides. Red tingeing my vision, I pulled the others behind me, taking the brunt of the attack as silverware began raining down on us as well, accompanying the food. I felt a fork graze my forehead as I escorted everyone offstage, blood dripping down my face, followed by a tray to the face. When I turned back, my heart was crushed when I saw people climbing onstage, bursting through the skull of my drum set I had since I first started the band with their feet and tearing off the cymbals. Unable to hold back anymore, I charged towards them, whacking anyone that came to close to me with my drumsticks, snapping them in half from the force. From behind, I felt arms wrap around my chest and pull me back into their arms. It was Conan smiling sadly, clothes stained with different colors. "I'm so sorry." He apologized as I slumped into his arms, drained of energy. Teachers finally managed to round everyone out of the cafeteria, leaving us alone with our broken equipment. My drum set was totaled, the mic stand snapped in half, Padraig's guitar strings broken and Eanna's bass neck broken off. The stage had silverware and food littering it, as well as a couple of trays. The amps were gone completely, most likely stolen. "Good thing we were planning on quitting anyway." Padraig smiled weakly. I traced my fingers around the torn pieces of where the skull used to be, biting my lip to hold back tears. Eanna knelt by me, placing an arm around my shoulder. Soon Padraig and Conan joined us, staring at the wreckage of our band. "I knew we weren't popular, but dang." Padraig whistled. "I hate that's how things have to end." I muttered bitterly, staring at the broken drumsticks in my hands"Mr. Mcloughlin, come here." The principal ordered. "I'm coming with him." Conan stood up defiantly. "Me too." Padraig agreed. "And me." Wanna chimed. The principal sighed, guiding us to the office and shutting the door behind us. "Sean, ye broke a person's nose and left a scar on another." He stated grimly. I felt my face grow pale when I thought of when I lashed out wildly, breaking the drumsticks. "So you're expelled, effective immediately. I already called your mother." He continued. "But-" "No buts, ye hurt two students, and that's that." He said sternly. "Sir, they broke his drum set, they threw stuff at him and hurt him!" Eanna pointed at my face. Self consciously, I put my hand to my face, feeling the forming of a lump from the tray and a thin line of dried blood. "Teachers were unable to pin who did that." He explained coldly. "Now leave, and you three better get back to class." "Sean-" Padraig broke off, struggling for words to say. "It's fine guys." I sighed wearily, even though it was a complete lie. My last gig with my friends ended up crushing not only my hopes for starting a new band when I moved, but any sort of confidence I had. "So, this as goodbye I guess." My voice cracked with emotion as I looked at them, a single tear trailing down my cheek. "Here." Conan took my phone, opened up the camera and took a selfie with me, Padraig and Eanna, smiling broadly like there wasn't a care in the world. "There, something to remember us by." He handed the phone back with a wry grin. "Thanks." I nodded in appreciation. I felt Padraig wrap his arms around me, followed by Conan, then Eanna. The tears I fought so hard to fight back fell as I was held in my friend's arms for possibly the last time. "No chick flick moments." Eanna joked, tears shining in his own eyes as he retracted from the group hug. The others eventually released me, stepping back towards the door. "We'll walk with you to the door." They decided. I nodded again, walking in silence to the door in the cafeteria past the stage. I watched as janitors carts away the remains of my drum set. I spotted the other halves of my drumsticks, running onstage and scooping them up before pausing by the door. I wanted to say so much more, but I was speechless. I took a deep breath before I walked out of the school, not looking back for fear of not being able to go on as i climbed into my car and drove back home.

        "We're moving today?!?" I shouted incredulously as I walked in, watching ma pack my stuff into boxes. "You're no longer in school, yes we're moving now." She answered. "And throw those away." She took the drumsticks from my hands and tossed them in the trash. I opened my mouth to protest, but didn't have the energy to do so, I was tired, wishing that none of this was happening and that everything was dream. But it wasn't. My drum set was really destroyed, I really was leaving the band, and most importantly I was leaving behind my friends I had known since I was a kid. "I'm really sorry Sean." Ma hugged me. Without even realizing it, tears were streaming down my face. I quickly wiped away the tears, backing away. "It's fine." I mumbled, retreating to my room. Already everything from it was gone except for ma's hat. It was left abandoned on the floor. I gently picked it up, placing it on my head and checking my reflection in my phone. The hat was slightly too big, covering my spiky brown hair. I made sure to cram it in my pocket before helping finishing up packing.